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THE recently-extended Belfast Waterfront has beaten a clutch of leading venues including the London O2 and Olympia to be named the UK's Best Event Space 2017.

It was competing for the award against seven short-listed venues including Excel, Olympia, The O2, The Crystal, Silverstone Wing, The Troxy and Tobacco Dock, and was the judges' choice at the Event Awards at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith.

Thirty industry professionals scrutinised more than 300 entries, many truly awe-inspiring, to find the very best brand experience campaigns and venues.

Extended last year, Belfast Waterfront is an international conference centre which offers 7000 sq metres of conference, entertainment and exhibition space in the heart of the city centre and which has been a major driver of business tourism to Belfast and Northern Ireland.

Over the last 20 years it has welcomed major names in business, politics and entertainment – from the World Council of Credit Unions to President Obama, the BBC Good Food Show to Kraftwerk and the World Irish Dance Championships.

Belfast Waterfront will welcome nine major international conferences over the next 12 months, and is expected to generate more that £35m in economic impact for the city.

The venue's conference events programme includes the European Alliance for Personalised Medicine Congress, the 16th Euro Fed Lipid Congress and Royal College of Nursing Congress.

Catherine Toolan, managing director of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall, said: “We're thrilled to receive this award, particularly given the very strong competition.

“Belfast Waterfront is the only venue in Northern Ireland with the size and flexibility to host large scale international events accommodating up to 5,000 delegates.

We have worked hard alongside Belfast City Council, Tourism NI and Visit Belfast to make sure the city is on the map for all major national and international events.”

The extension to Belfast Waterfront was funded by Belfast City Council, Tourism NI and the European Regional Development Fund under the European Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland.